MSA Launches New Audio Podcast Production Program

The Technology Department at Mississippi School of the Arts has launched a new podcasting service on the world wide web. Podcasting involves the use of audio and/or video to produce multimedia content. Many podcasts include interviews and discussions about particular topics. They also include audio stories or storybooks. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a podcast as “a program (such as a music or news program) that is like a radio or television show but that is downloaded over the Internet.”

The idea of a podcast project was first conceived through the Literary Arts program, allowing students the opportunity to recite their work by microphone and digital recorder; A digital coffee house, you might say. The flagship podcast, “Creative Expression,” is geared towards giving audience listeners a conversational view of the arts. The idea of Creative Expression is that every artist can tell their story in their own unique way, and this podcast provides the digital venue for that to happen.

“There will be some scripting, but we want the episodes to feel like we’re in your living room conversation style,” said Patrick Brown, the school’s technology coordinator and podcast support. “I’m excited to see what lies in store with this new program. We come across a lot of interesting stories I believe we can share with the world,” he said.

According to Brown, the musical talent of students at Mississippi School of the Arts makes the perfect environment for recording podcast tunes.

Repurposed audio equipment, free audio editing software, and already-available web server hosting has allowed the podcasting program to begin its opening phase. In the future, it’s hoped the school can purchase some better equipment to put in the hands of students and improve the quality of the podcast studio production.

“I just happened to be going through some equipment and saw a set of Zoom recorders purchased many years before I arrived at MSA. I thought, nice, we can definitely use these for something,” said Brown.

The podcast production program is expected to grow with the inclusion of Media Arts to provide technical assistance and development of new podcast series.

The first episode of Creative Expression was recently launched October 12th and includes a conversational interview with Mrs. Sibley. In the podcast, Clinnesha shares her story of how she entered the arts as a child and reaching milestones throughout her career. The episode ends with a few literary works recited by the students who wrote them. “It’s wonderful to have the resources to be able to do something like this,” said Sibley.